This holiday season, Rob and I decided to prioritize the travel budget to take three weeks off for Christmas. We'll be headed home on Dec. 22 and leaving back to PDX on Jan. 5, so mark your calendars.
However, this meant our first Portland Thanksgiving with just the two of us. This might sound sad to some, but we were actually really looking forward to a quiet Thanksgiving without any traveling, and this year did not disappoint. I made a full spread -- 12 lb. turkey, cheesy mashed potatoes, the famous Shultz-Mahlendorf squash casserole, green beans and kale, sweet potato casserole, ginger cake for dessert and two different kinds of cranberry sauce. Not only was it a complete culinary success, but we had plenty of time to lounge and generally enjoy each other's company. We even started the day with a great 10K in Sherwood that supports the Oregon food bank. 
We'll be eating delicious leftovers for days.
The whole weekend has been fabulous. We picked out a gorgeous Christmas Tree -- 7+ feet for less than $20. I love Oregon. We even finished decorating the apartment, which isn't much of a challenge since it is only 2 bedrooms. We lit a fire and some candles, put on the Christmas music and hung up the lights. It couldn't have been more fun or more festive. 
This is what happens when you must stop for bubble tea after a Christmas tree has been tied to your car.
We spent Saturday with a friend and her family who were kind enough to show Rob and me around Oregon wine country. We tasted some incredible Pinot Noir, which Oregon is known for, and I may have even picked up a present or two. The 2006 from De Ponte Cellars was the best wine we tasted all day -- and I don't even like red wine!Finally, here are some long awaited photos of the new apartments. We've been slow to put these up so I apologize. Enjoy!!
